Web-roll controlling mechanism



June 11, 1929. H. v. BALL WEB ROLL CONTROLLING MECHANISM Filed May 15, 1926 INVENTOR fiie Patented June 11,1929.

UNITED STATES 1 man V. min,

1,716,613 PATENT OFFICE.

OF CONCORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO B. HOE & 00., INC., 01 NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

WEB-ROLL CONTROLLING MECHANISM.

Application filed May 15,

- This invention relates to certain improvements in methods of joining or splicing a running web to a spare roll of paper for web renewal in printing machines.

5 In modern high speed printing press operation in which a large number of copies are to be run off the press, the paper webs have to be renewed during the press run. .Time is, of course, of the highest Importance in press operation and it is desirable that-the operation of the press shall be interfered with to the least possible degree during this web renewal. toward the production of a so called flyin ls'paster, that is, the renewing of the we without stoppage of the press. In these flying asters it is necessary in maln'ng the splice. t at the spare roll be moved or rotatedbefore the splice or paste is made, as these 20. rolls are heavy and the weight of the roll could not be picked up if the paste were mzfile .with a moving web and a stationary ro It is a special object. of the present invention to provide an improved method for web renewal by the practice of which the spare .roll is' given an initial rotary or turning movement prior to the making of the splice and in whlch no special mechanism is required for thus initially starting the roll.

his a further object of the invention to provide an improved method for bringing the web'and the spare roll into surface engagement for effecting the splice.

Withthese and other objects not specificall referred to in'view, the invention consists broadly in effectin a relative move-, ment ofthe spare roll an the running web so asto bring them into surface engage-' ment, this engagement being of such character that the spare roll is rotated solely by the engagement therewith of the running web, so that no mechanism for effecting the initial rotation of the roll is necessary. The improved method may, of course, be carried out/by various apparatus, and one such apparatus is shown intheaccompa'nying drawings, in which f Figure 1 is one view of=an arrangement 50, for'supporting a spare roll and a running.

roll by which the surface engagement of the web and the roll is effected, the web being shown in contact with the spare roll, and

Figure 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the .roll moved to running position after Various efl'orts' have been directed.

essary mechanisms. 1 But one side of the apalong t-hese rails 4 by gravity and the rails 1926. Serial N0. 109,242.

the splice has been made and a new spare roll brought into position, the spare roll being shown in dotted lines.

In .the particular application of the method shown, the surface engagement of the running web and the spare roll is eflected by so arranging the running roll and the spare roll that the running web is brought into contact with the'spare roll while runnin in substantially its normal feeding pat this feeding path of the web shifting as the roll decreases in size, so that when the running roll is near depletion the web path is tangent to the surface ofthe running roll and the web is in surface contact with, 7 the roll. By this means the web is automati callyl moved toward thespare roll and no mec anism is required for shifting the web into eng'a ement with the spare roll, so that danger of web breakage from such cause is I avoided. Furthermore, the web gradually contacts with the spare roll, thereby starting the rotation of the roll easily, the pressure of. the web gradually increasing and increasing the speed of rotation of the roll.

Where the surface engagement of the spare roll and the running web is thus effected, the roll support will include suitable supporting frames 1 which support the neoparatus is shown, it being understood that the construction is duplicated on each side of the machine. The side frames 1 support brackets 3 having top rails 4 on which the spindles 5 of the spare rolls are adapted to run, the spare rolls being loaded inv any suitable manner onto these brackets, this being the loading position of the roll and the point at which the splice is made. The rolls move are, therefore, slightly inclined from the horizontal, as shown. The spare rolls S, one of which is shown, are held in reserve position at the right-hand end of the brackets until ,after the splice is made and are then moved to a running position, as here'- inafter referred to. To hold the spare roll in position, a stop is provided in the form of a pivoted segment 6 supported on a rock shaft 7 mounted in the brackets 3, before referred to, this segment being provided with a nose 8 which bears a ainst the roll spindle. This segment is roc edout of the way by any suitable mechanism, not illustrated, it being unnecessary for an under- 119 the point of support of the reserve roll, the' position of these lower bearings being so laid out that as the running roll, indicated b R, is about to become depleted the path 0 the web is such as to bring it against the spare roll, as shown in Fig. 1.

The spare rolls are supported on the tracks so that they are freely rotatable, and the surface engagement of the web with the roll causes the rotation of the spare roll on its support, so that the required initial rotation of the roll is given by the web without the necessity of manipulating the web in any way, or providing any mechanismfor starting the roll.

It will be further observed that no backing is necessary for effecting the splice, the roll and the web being clear of any mechanism at the point the splice is made. .In practicing the method, paste or other suitable adhesive is applied to the. end of the new roll, which is turned so as to bring the pasted portion to or approximate to the point marked X in Fig. 1, so that the spare roll will have almost a full rotation (in the direction of the arrow) before it is picked up by the web. Tn carrying out the method, when the running roll is nearly expired, the press is preferably slowed down so that the web is running slowly at the time it comes into contact with the spare roll. The engagement of the web with the roll rotates the roll until the point at which the adhesive has been applied comes into contact with the web. At this time the pressure of the web against the roll is sufiicient to cause the web to aflix itself to the end of. the spare roll and the two webs go off together. After the splice has been made, the old web may be broken in any suitable manner, as by a wire or stick, and the press again accelerated up to speed.

The spare roll may be moved from the reserve position to the running position in any suitable manner, as by blocks 11, which control the downward movement of the roll to the bearings 9, the movement of these blocks being controlled in any suitable manner from cables 12 operated by mechanism not shown, as being unnecessary for an understanding of the invention. During the downward movement of the spare roll the bearings 9 may be rocked to discharge the spindle of the expired roll R.

If desired, means such as belts 13, supported in suitable swinging frames 14 may be employed for controlling the running speed of the roll. But these belts are not essential for carrying out the method of the present invention and may be omitted if desired, and other means for securing the desired tension on the running web may be used. It will be seen that the belts act to maintain the de-: sired tension on the unwinding web, as in the case of the more common brakes on the roll shaft. The pressure of the belts on the roll, the resulting tension on the running web, and the arrangement of the expiring web with respect to the new roll are maintained during the splicing operation, as shown in Fig. 1, and the enga ement of the webv with the new roll is su cient for rotating the latter. The tension on the running web may be regulated in various ways, as by increasing the weight of the belt carrying arms 14, or by the use of suitable devices for causing the belt arms to exert different degrees'of running web, and, especially with the ball or roller bearings now-used for such web rolls, a very small pressure of the running web is sufiicient to start the new roll, even without any assistances from the operator.

The running web is indicated by W, and

passes to the press, not shown, over a guide roll 15' carried in adjustable arms 16 on a shaft 17 suitably supported in brackets 18 secured to the machine frame.

It will be seen that with the method described a very simple and effective method of web renewal is secured for effecting the initial rotation of the spare roll and the splice, and mechanism for effecting the movement of the web into pasting position is eliminated, and a splice may be made without stopping the press. While the method for etfecting'sur ace engagement of the roll and the web is a very convenient one, it will be understood that the method broadly considered' is not to be restricted to this step, but that other wa s of effecting this engagement may be use in practicing the method.

What I claim is:

1. The method of joining or splicing a running web which is feeding to the press with a spare roll of paper, which consists in supporting the spare roll so as to be freely rotatable in its bearings, applying a suitable adhesive to the surface of the spare roll, effecting a relative movement of the spare roll and the running web so as to bring them into a surface engagement sufficient to cause the rotation of the spare roll solely by the engagement therewith of the running web, and maintaining this engagement until the gummed surface of the spare roll contacts with the web and makes the splice.

.2. The method of joining or splicing a running web which is feeding to the press with a spare roll of paper, which consists in supporting the spare roll so as to be free 1y rotatable in its bearings, applying a su1table adhesive to the surface of the spare roll, slowing down the press, effecting a relative movement of the spare roll and the running web so as to bring them into a surface engagement with gradually increasing pressure sufiicient to cause the rotation of the spare roll solely by the engagement therewith of the running web, maintaining this engagement until the gummed surface of the spare roll contacts with the web and makes the splice, and bringing the press up to speed. -3. The method of joining or splicing a running web which is feeding to the press with a spare roll of paper, which consists in supporting the spare roll so as to.-be freely rotatable in its bearings, applying a suitable adhesive to the surface of thespare roll, ef-

fecting a relative movement of the spare roll and the running web so as to bring them into a surface engagement sufficient, to cause the rotation of the spare roll solely by the engagement therewith of the running web maintaining this engagement until the gummed surface of the spare roll contacts with the weband makes the splice, breaking the expiringweb, and shifting the new roll from splicing position to a running position. I

4. The method of joining or' splicing a running web which is feeding to the press with a spare roll of paper, whichconsists in supporting the'spare roll so as to be freely 1 rotatable in its bearings, applying a suitable adhesive-t0 the surface of the spare roll,

slowing down the press, effecting a relative movement of the spare roll and the running web so as to bring them into a surface engagementsufiicient to cause the rotation of the spare roll solely by the engagement therewith of the 'running web, maintaining the engagement until the gummed surface of the spare roll contacts with the web and makes the splice, breaking the expiring web, shifting the new roll from splicing osition to running position, and bringing t e press up to speed. a

5. The method of joining or splicing. a running web which is feeding to the press with a spare roll of paper, which consists in supporting a; spare roll and a running roll so arranged that on the depletion of the running roll the web therefrom is brought into a surface engagement with the spare roll suflicient to cause the rotation of the spare roll solely by the engagement therewith of the running web, applying a suitable adhesive to the surface of the spare roll, and maintaining the engagement of the web and spare roll until the gummed surface of the spare roll contacts with the web and makes the splice.

6. The method of joining or splicing running web which is feeding to the press with a spare roll of paper, which consists in supporting a spare roll and a running roll so arranged that on the depletion of the running roll the web therefrom is brought into a surface engagement with the spare 'roll sufficient to cause the rotation of the spare roll solely by the engagement therewith of the running web, applying a suitable adhesive to the surface of the spare roll,-slowing down the press, maintaining the engagement of the web and spare roll until the gummed surface of the spare roll contacts with the web and makes the splice, breaking off the expiring web, and bringing the press up to speed.

7. The method of joining or splicing a .running web which is feeding to the press with a spare roll of paper, which consists in supporting a spare roll and a running roll so arranged that on the depletion of the running roll the web therefrom is brought into a surface engagement with the spare roll sufiicient to cause the rotation of the spare roll solely by the engagement therewith of the running web, applying a suitable adhesive to the surface of the spare roll, slowing down the press, maintaining the engagement of=the web and spare roll until the gummed surface of the spare roll c0ntacts with the web and makes the splice, breaking off the expiring web, shifting the new roll from splicing position to running position, and bringing the press up to speed.

8. The method of joining or splicing a running web which is feeding to the press with a spare roll of paper, which consists in supporting the spare roll so as to be freely rotatable in its bearings, a plying a suitable adhesive to the surface 0 the roll, effecting a relative movement of the spare roll and-the running web so as to bring them into a surface engagement suflicient to cause ,maintaining the running roll under the control of pressure devices while the splice is being made, continuing the engagement of the spare roll and the running web until the gummed surface of the spare roll contacts with the web and makes the splice, and then effecting the movement of the new roll into the control of pressure devices for controlling its unwinding.

9. The method of joining or splicing a running web which-is feeding to the press with a spare roll of paper, which consists in supporting the spare roll so that it may rotate in its bearings, applying a suitable adhesive to the surface 0 the roll, causing suitable adhesive to the surface of the spare roll, effecting a relative movement of the spare roll and the running web and bringing them into surface engagement, rotating the spare r011 and maintaining the rotation of the spare roll by the engagement therewith of the running web until the splice is made and the Web is advanced by the pull thereon.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

- HARRY V. BALL. 

